Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has cried out on the need to restore the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria.
According to George, some politicians have compromised the integrity of the judicial system, and there are allegations that some judges are even on the payroll of influential politicians.
He, therefore, called on the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to ensure the integrity and esteemed status of the judiciary is restored.
George made the call in a statement on Sunday “The Time to End Judicial Rascality is Now.”
The former military governor of Ondo State added that it is worrisome and embarrassing that courts in the country have frequently been giving conflicting rulings on the same matter, with the situation now becoming an embarrassment to Nigerians.
He cautioned that if left unchecked, these actions could destabilize the country’s democracy.
He said: “I congratulate you on your confirmation by the Senate and your swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. As a bonafide Lagosian and jurist from a family of legal luminaries, I strongly believe the judiciary will benefit from your wealth of knowledge. With you at the helm, I am hopeful the judiciary will reclaim the prominence it once had from the 1950s to the 1980s.”
Raising the alarm on what he described as “judicial rascality” emerging from courts, George noted the urgent need to curb the current trajectory and avoid “judicial anarchy.”
He explained: “Judicial decisions today are becoming embarrassing. We have instances where a court, miles away from the scene of political conflict, issues confusing rulings, leaving Nigerians bewildered. While appellate courts have the power to overturn lower court decisions, we are seeing a disturbing trendwhere lower courts, without jurisdiction, issue counter orders, creating judicial chaos.”
George advised the CJN to convene a National Judicial Council (NJC) meeting with state and federal judges to address these inconsistencies and restore public confidence in the judiciary.
He hoped for a return to the time in the 1950s to 1980s when the integrity of the judiciary was above board.
He singled out some past Chief Justices, including Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, Justice Teslim Elias, and Justice Kayode Eso, for resisting external pressures and maintaining the integrity of the judiciary during their times.
“From the 1950s to the 1980s, judges were revered and feared for their impartiality. It was unheard of to attempt bribing a judge. But today, some judges are openly accused of being on politicians’ payrolls,” he said.
The PDP chieftain, however, lamented that in many political cases since 1999, judges have been accused of delivering judgments that serve the interests of powerful individuals rather than justice.
He questioned the delivery of judgement based on “technicalities” that undermine the will of the people. He condemned the trendwhere just a few judges determine the final verdict in an election participated by millions of voters.
“How can three, five, or seven judges decide the outcome of elections for millions of Nigerians? What is the essence of voting if judges impose their will over the electorate’s choice?” he queried.
George stressed the need for the judiciary to be vigilant and avoid rulings that could undermine the democratic process, saying judicial officers wield such extensive powers.
“Judicial institutional strength is key to Nigeria’s development. Judges must resist pressure from politicians and remain impartial. They hold the power of life and death after God, and their judgments must reflect that responsibility,” George stated.
He urged the CJN to take urgent action to restore the credibility of the judiciary, and save Nigeria from politicians who are bent on compromising the judiciary for their own selfish interests.
“Today, some politicians who are no better than criminals have compromised the judiciary. This is dangerous for our electoral system and for the future of Nigeria. The time to end judicial rascality is now,” George concluded.